October marks another transition at Green Foothills! After four years of service bringing the reimagined Green Foothills Leadership Program to life, Andrea Fraume Valencia is transitioning from her role as Leadership Program Director to pursue a career in the public sector. Please join us in welcoming a new staff member, Ben Estrada, as Leadership Program...
Author: Megan Fluke
Passing the Torch
“You can’t stop saving Coyote Valley!” was my youngest daughter’s response when they heard about my decision to step down as Executive Director of Green Foothills. These words embody the spirit that has driven me throughout my tenure and highlight how much Green Foothills means to me and my family. After ten years, I believe...
Indigenous Partnerships Strengthen Green Foothills
No one has a more powerful and respected voice for the land than Indigenous people speaking for their ancestral territories. When local tribes take the lead, it increases the chance our region will become a place where wildlife thrives and communities live in balance with nature. Green Foothills’ mission and the vision of local tribes...
Welcome to Our New Board Members
We are pleased to welcome three new board members and eight new advisory board members this year. Each brings unique skills to Green Foothills and is committed to being a champion for local nature. Green Foothills’ Board of Directors is the ultimate authority of our nonprofit, responsible for ensuring that we adhere to our mission....
Gratitude to Brian Schmidt
Green Foothills staff and board recently celebrated the longtime service of Brian Schmidt. Brian has filled a number of different roles at Green Foothills over the past 20 years — as a Santa Clara County Legislative Advocate (2003-2011), as a Board Member (2015-2020), and as a Policy and Advocacy Director from 2021 until April 2023....
Green Foothills Is Looking for New Board Members
Green Foothills protects local open space, farmland, and natural resources. We envision our region being a place where wildlife thrives, everyone has natural beauty to enjoy, and communities live in balance with nature. Together with our partners we have helped to permanently protect approximately 185,000 acres in San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties through over...
Green Foothills Remembers: Betty Gerard
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of one of our founding board members, Betty Gerard. Betty died peacefully at her home in Palo Alto on November 16, 2022, at age 97. Betty attended the initial meeting in 1962 that led to the founding of our organization. She and her then husband...
National Native American Heritage Month
Green Foothills supports the fight for Native rights. One of the pillars of our recently published centennial vision is for open space to be wisely managed and stewarded, and this will only be achieved in community with our partners in a large, inclusive movement. The leadership of land stewardship by local Indigenous tribes and peoples...
1% of Nature’s Inspiration Proceeds to Support Indigenous Dance Group, Calpulli Tonalehqueh
For years, Green Foothills has shared proceeds from our Nature’s Inspiration fundraiser with local community-based organizations. This practice is grounded in our value of camaraderie and supports our important community partnerships. With our inspirational artist honorees – Linda Gass and Jane Kim – we wanted to select a grantee from the arts community. We are...
“Strategies for Tribal Allyship and Coalitions”: Highlighting the Protect Juristac Coalition
On Thursday, May 26, the Silicon Valley Council of Nonprofits hosted a webinar to explore how nonprofits and agencies can better act in solidarity with tribes, make land acknowledgements, create a shared leadership model, and keep up momentum over time. Called “Strategies for Tribal Allyship and Coalitions: Highlighting the Protect Juristac Coalition”, the webinar’s purpose...